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Simple Stripes

28 October 2015

As a few of my reader may know, my mother has worked in the fashion industry her entire life. Being in that environment a few times has helped me to realise how much a simple look can go a long way. Sure, wacky and wonderful pieces are to being admired for creativity, but there's something like the simplest of styles that has always caught my eye, whether it's in the sewing room or on the catwalk. This dress has become one of my favourite pieces because it's complex but simple at the same time - if that's even possible. It's a basic A-line design, with no side seams or sleeves. The dress is cotton-jersey which is easily one of the most comfortable fabrics besides wool.
The blend of colours is what makes it stand out and they're contrasted in a stripe pattern which immediately catches the eye. The red, white and blue printed dress was one of my favourites while travelling around Oslo, and is the dress I'm wearing in my profile picture on this page. It also happens to be the dress I'm wearing on my Contact page - I really like this dress.
The best quality is that it's so easy to dress up or down and pair with many different colours. The use of primary colours makes the dress much more versatile. In today's look, which is quite light for the time of year, I opted to make the Primark piece the centre of my look, surrounding it with black. 
I love nothing more than a simple pattern - what's your favourite look?
Dress - Primark // Cardigan - F&F // Shoes - Evans // Bag - TK Maxx

Nudes Eyeshadow Review

13 October 2015

Recently, I've found myself becoming totally and completely obsessed with eyeshadow. Because I have a darker skin tone, finding colours that blend rather than contrast can be a challenge. I like experimenting with metallics and shimmers for a unique look, but for my everyday eye-style, I tend to keep it simple but interesting. 
The key for me to keep a unique look on my eyelids without going to far is blending colours of a similar texture and palette. So rather than mixing primary colours or brighter shades, I chose this nude palette to try out as it has been immensely popular among bloggers and vloggers. The product has been on the market for a while and become very successful over the summer season. What I like most is the wide variety of colours that still blend well together. IT's very common to find palettes that have a load of shades just thrown together with very little thought. The multiple colours features in The Nudes Palette mean it's versatile for all skin tones and very easy to use for beginners. It's hard to go wrong when each shade matches the next.
I also adore the texture and tone of the eyeshadows. They're not sticky or thin, and aren't dusty either. If velvet could be an eyeshadow, it would be The Nudes Palette. It's rare I struggle to find faults with a lot of beauty products, but I have found this palette to be perfect for everyday and for night. There's a colour to match every skin tone and the shimmery option to spice up a normal look. It's a great palette to create a subtle smokey eye, the ideal eyeshadow style for autumn.
This palette has become one of my favourite beauty products to use on a regular basis and surely lives up to the extensive publicity it has received. Have you tried The Nudes Palette? Is it successful in your eyes?

Plaid Power

12 September 2015

Wrap - Matalan // Top - Next // Jeans - Topshop // Boots - Next // Jewellery - M&S // Bag - TK Maxx
Since working full time, time seems to magically disappear from me without my permission and I've learned how much time it takes for my inner-perfectionist to calm down and just get the job done. However, with a new wage, come a new shopping budget and I'm so excited to start sharing more outfits on Anika May. 
This looks is a total autumn buy and I couldn't resist. One of my biggest style icons is Serena van der Woodsen and I'll wear anything that I've seen her in. Plaid isn't one of my favourite patterns, I never thought it really suited me, but since watching a Gossip Girl episode which features the one and only It Girl in a stunning plaid look, I thought I'd give the seasoned look a try. Plus, the wrap is incredibly warm, it's like wearing a super stylish blanket outside. I think the colours are create the idea autumnal palette, and it's so easy to dress with! Denim looks great with the wool-cotton fabric, so I paired my favourite pair of blue jeans and nude booties to finish the look.
Top - Next // Wrap - Matalan // Jewellery - Next // Boots - Next // Bag - TK Maxx

The Ice Queen Coat

26 August 2015

Coat - Matalan // Top - F&F // Jeans - Topshop // Boots - Next (similar) // Bag - Next (similar)
Before I blab on about my amazing new 'ice queen' coat, can we take a moment to be upset that summer is basically over? Personally, I'm not crazy about the fact that I'm shopping for coats (as much as I love to) and no longer having the inclination to eat salad because it's warm. I'm not the biggest fan of summer, hay fever and bumble bees tend to damper the season, but I do like waking up to the bright sunshine rather than a dull English day. 
My coat, which I bought in Matalan's most recent sale for only £12.00, is a new season favourite for me. When it gets cold, I tend to gravitate towards darker colours without noticing. This bright blue pastel piece, which I have renamed "The Ice Queen Coat" really helps to brighten up my AW15 wardrobe and pushes me to wear much lighter colours. The name for this coat was lightly inspire by Jadis the White Witch due to the colour she wears in The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. My top, which is slightly cropped, is also a new favourite of mine from the summer sale. It's really easy to pair with just about everything and has a very subtle pattern to spruce up a look. It's become my go-to tee for nearly every outfit, it's just a shame a I didn't buy two!

Spring Forward

4 May 2015

Eldwick, Bingley, Bingley, West Yorkshire BD16, UK
The floral trend never fails to return during the springtime but I couldn't resist. It's an easy way to a colour and pattern to an outfit, which makes it seem more exciting with less effort. It's almost a cheat, which is common with quite a few bright patterns. The fabric is chiffon which means it's quite thin, but this shirt is also really easy to use as a base layer for this outfit. Chiffon is an extremely floaty fabric, often used for elegant dresses. I love that that shirt is actually longer at the back, meaning I can wear it with leggings without breaking my rule on leggings. The most important rule in my mine: leggings are not pants. They're a thicker substitute to tights and nothing frustrates me more when really thin, almost transparent leggings are worn as casual trousers. Today I chose black shoes and leggings as I really wanted the pattern to stand out overall and all the focus to be on the pretty print. 
Shirt - M&S // Leggings - Next // Boots - Dorothy Perkins
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